These nine parents appeared at North Staffordshire Justice Centre after their children missed too much school. StokeonTrentLive has not named the children or their schools for legal reasons:

Parents land fine after taking son on five-week trip to Fiji

An ex-infantryman who served in Afghanistan and Iraq has been fined - after taking his son out of school for a five-week trip to his native Fiji.

Parents Josefa and Josephine Maka appeared before magistrates after flying their son to the other side of the world for a family wedding.

They admitted a charge of knowingly failing to ensure the regular attendance of their child at his Stoke-on-Trent high school.

A stock image of Fiji (Image: Getty)

Prosecutor Lynn Chard said: "The family were going to Fiji for a family wedding. It was a good period of time to spend with the family. The school was not willing to authorise this absence."

The court heard Josefa Maka had been 'really busy' during his two years in the Army and hadn't managed to spend any time with relatives in Fiji.

He said: "We went to Fiji because I had spent two years in Afghanistan and Iraq. I had already paid more than £5,000 for Fiji. It was not like a holiday - we went to see the in-laws. When I was in the Army I was really busy. Some of my family are getting old, that's all I can say to explain it."

Both parents were fined £60 for the offence. Their combined total court bill was £345.

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Daughter has to get taxi to school after mum lands driving ban

Mum Emma Brammer was hauled before the courts - after her daughter's school attendance plummeted to just 35 per cent.

The defendant admitted being the parent of a child knowingly not attending lessons and failing to ensure regular attendance at school.

She told North Staffordshire Justice Centre: "I get my daughter up at 7.30am. After I got banned from driving, I would get her in a taxi to school and she would just run off and not go to school. She's promised me recently that she will not put me in this position again."

The court heard the girl's attendance has improved at the North Staffordshire high school.

Magistrate Joanne Wilkinson said: "Under the circumstances, and if progress is being made, we are going to give a conditional discharge. If this matter is brought back before the courts you will be charged for this matter and another matter as well."

Couple take children out of school for five-day holiday

Parents Ruth Pemberton and Keiron Bailey have been hit with a £426 court bill - after taking their children out of a Staffordshire school for a five-day holiday.

Both parents pleaded guilty to two non-aggravated counts of being the parent of a child who failed to attend school regularly.

Khalid Mahmood, prosecuting, told North Staffordshire Justice Centre: "This disrupts the work of other pupils and that is the reason we are in court."

The court heard one of their children has special needs and cannot handle busy places.

Ruth Pemberton told the court: "We understand that it's not acceptable to take children out of school, but our daughter has exceptional needs and doesn't cope with busy situations. We find it easier to take her during quieter times, so it's easier to keep her safe."

Children were 'tortured' in Kuwait before coming to Stoke-on-Trent

Data from Stoke-on-Trent City Council revealed one of the boys missed 102 out of 126 school days. His brother missed 16 out of 96 school days.

But 59-year-old Al Fadly claimed one of the boys had 'a bad leg' and couldn't walk to the Stoke-on-Trent high school - and a minibus sent to pick him up was always late.

Education welfare officer Tracey Calder told North Staffordshire Justice Centre: "During one enforcement visit, she told me he had a bad leg and didn't want to walk to school. I spoke to the school and they agreed they would pick him up in the school minibus, and I requested that she take him to the doctors."

James Husey, mitigating, said: "The family relocated to the UK after the father had been involved in political protest and fled to the UK. Special Kuwaiti forces tortured her and her children. The older boy had his fingers and arms broken.

"He now decides he has the responsibility for his own destiny and the mother is guilt tripped into allowing him to do what he wants."

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